IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 11September 2012
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20120004324
THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:
1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).
2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).
THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant requests correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show his character of service as "honorable" instead of "uncharacterized."
2. The applicant states the incorrect entry is due to government error.
3. The applicant provides his DD Form 214 and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) discharge orders.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing.
2. The applicant's records show he enlisted in the USAR on 29 October 1990 and he was assigned to Company B, 391st Engineer Battalion, Rock Hill, SC.
3. He entered active duty for training (ADT) on 13 May 1991. He completed one-station unit training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. At the completion of training he was awarded military occupational specialty 12B (Combat Engineer).
4. He was released from ADT to the control of his USAR unit on 15 August 1991 by reason of completion of ADT. The DD Form 214 he was issued at the time of his release from ADT shows he completed 3 months and 3 days of active service. Item 24 (Character of Service) of this form shows the entry "Uncharacterized."
5. Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations), in effect at the time, set forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 3 of that regulation describes the different types of characterization of service. It states in pertinent part that an uncharacterized separation is an entry-level separation. A separation will be described as an entry-level separation if processing is initiated while a member is in entry-level status, except when characterization under other than honorable condition is authorized under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case or when the Secretary of the Army, on a case-by-case basis, determines that characterization of service as Honorable is clearly warranted by the presence of unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty. Entry level status begins on enlistment in the ARNG or the USAR and, for Soldiers ordered to initial ADT for one continuous period, ends 180 days after beginning training.
6. Army Regulation 635-200, paragraph 3-7a, provides that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor and entitles the recipient to benefits provided by law. The honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the member's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant contends the characterization of service on his DD Form 214 should be changed from "uncharacterized" to "honorable."
2. During the first 180 days of continuous active military service, a member's service is under review. When separated within the first 180 days, service is usually not characterized unless the circumstances of the separation warrant an under other than honorable conditions discharge. An honorable characterization may be given only if the service clearly warrants that characterization by unusual circumstances of personal conduct and performance of military duty and is approved by the Secretary of the Army.
3. The entry-level separation is given regardless of the reason for separation. This uncharacterized discharge is neither positive nor negative; it is not "derogatory." It simply means the Soldier did not serve long enough to qualify for a specified characterization of service.
4. The applicant received the appropriate character of service and he has provided no evidence to show it is in error or unjust. Therefore, there is no basis for granting his requested relief.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
____X____ ___X_____ ___X_____ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned.
____________X_____________
CHAIRPERSON
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20120004324
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ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20120004324
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